Airgun import experiences - via personal baggage route

[rosariowinifred]

Hi guys,

I have read almost all pages of this import experience thread. after going thruough everythig i have a few doubts....

is it mandatory for an rifle club membership while importing airrifle ?

is it possible to bring an scope in personal baggage ?

my bro is coming from US next month he said he wouldnt mind bringing it.... your comments on this would help me in moving furthur

Thanks in advance guys

Regards
Rosario

[nagarifle]

u can bring the scope in personal baggage. its not mandatory to be member of rifle club.

[David]

Now the Story begins..

1. Came to B'lore new airport and the first international flight landed on saturday early morning. Well a big new group of MEN in white welcome me after seeing my Gun case. I said its .177 HW77K Airgun. They said they have to detain it . By the same time the new Ast. Comm. of Customs came and he was a real gentlemen. But though he did not allow me to get the airgun out , he said all he need is just a clearance certerficate ( NOC ) from the commissioner office. They even dont want any one from CAR to come & test the AIRGUN as the document which I carried was itself very pleasing to the Ast.Comm.

Also the ast.Comm. said , If I get them a NOC stating the there is No Lisense req. for Airgun to Use in India & to Import via Personal bag, and this will help them for future use so that any one comming to bangalore with .177 through personal baggage will have no problem. (note: Not talk about Club membership)

They themselves were discussing about the Non-Requirement of a club membership and so I did not open my mouth on the same topic. They also did not know much about the HW77K. They all said they know Diana / BSA ..

I kept my self cool and made good friendship with them.

I got the Receipt for detaining my Airgun// tomorrow I am starting my work for NOC from Police comm. Office.

Will update once I am done with this..

Cheers
David

[Zafar]

thanks for sharing David

the document which I carried was itself very pleasing to the Ast.Comm.

what documents were you carrying?

shukriya
-
Zafar

[shahid]

The new import law that .177 Air Rifle can be carried duty free into India in personal baggage, does it mention about district / state / national rifle club membership ?

The very fact that now import is allowed, markings on the Air RIfle mention it is an air rifle not a firearm, the spring cocking lever and breech for loading a pellet is there to see, what else do these people want ? Why an NOC ?

Have we reached such a state of ignorance lack of knowledge about shooting sports in India ?

[mundaire]

Wish you all the best from my side, and congratulations on maintaining your composure... it's very easy to loose one's cool in such situations and forget that the people you are getting angry at are the very people who will eventually help/ not help you get things sorted out!

Look forward to an (expected) good duty free outcome (as per the new rules)...

Merging this thread with the original import experiences via personal baggage route thread...

Cheers!
Abhijeet

[PRITAM PATEL]

After going through 16 pages,

I ve made up to go for it,

Again I m leaving for S.Africa (they dont req. any permit to carry Air Gun in S.A.), while coming back will definatly get Good PCP.....
Suggetions r welcome......my priority is Daystate Mk3 Regulated in .22 Cal

I have just got my Club membership ( Ahmedabad Military & Rifle Trainning Association) for precaution,,
I owns 7.65 Walther PP + 12 guage Gun of course with valid lisc. (Can I bring back Cartridges not more than 50 pieces as per baggage rules for any of my Fire arms ???? )


will be taking Emirates which directly lands Ahmedabad....So I can folloup "Man in White" as long as they require me in pesonal... ..

do i need anything extra..documents..???

Folks I feels like I m preparing for a war,

"If some one had done it, I can do it too. If no one has done it than I must do it." Japanese Proverb



Regards

Pritam Patel

[David]

Hi My experiance with Carrying the Airgun as checked baggage has some message

1. It depends on the customs officer who may or may not know about Airguns.

2. They discourage people carrying Arms ( from the customs point of view any airgun is a Arm ) along with them in the checked baggage.

3. The Customs use the term IMPORT, for them its always TRADING never mind whether you bring for personal use or you are going to sell it. And to IMPORT they ask for any Lisence or valid proof like a club membership. ( again this depends on the Officer )

4. Bringing the Airgun in a seperate Guncase always end up in detaining the same.

What I had ..?
------------

1. Had the Original Bill.
2. Had the original Manual.
3. Had all the Technical details of the Airgun downloaded from the website.

What I did not show in first Place?
----------------------------------
1. DGFT Notification because it states that you should be a Club member ( I am not )

2. Custom exnote that says the Duty free for .177

What I had in addition ?
----------------------
1. A copy of the Club Membership application attested by the Local Inspector of police as NOC on the same.

This is a proof for that I am going to join a Club..

Here is what happened ?
---------------------

Date: 24.May.2008

Inspite of all these I Know the Airgun will be Detained. Hence I decided to go by their way of handing over it to them even before they asked me and aksed for the process to follow.. In this way I made a good friendship with the Team of custom who were on duty that day.. I never talked much to convince them to Take the Airgun away. I had everthing in mind but I made my move in a different way..

I was waiting to see who talks more about the Airgun to find out who has intrest on the same. I caught hold of the men who was very much intrested to know on Airgun and explaining lot of things. Now this Men is ready to help me .. HE is the Chief in change for that shift..

They gave the CUSTOMS receipt for detaining .. Checked if all the details given in there are correct.
Asked them when to collect the letter to Comm. of Police . They said come next day Morning after 9:00 am when they dont have much work..

Now comes the problem.. If you end up in meeting another team who do not know you, they wont listen to you.. Hence try to come when the same batch who detained the airgun are at work..

I took the personal phone number of the not only the officer who was much intrested to listen but also the ACP and Joint commissioner of customs. I indeed had a good conversation with them mainting a good wrap.

25.May.2008
------------
I reached him the next day to ask when to collect the Letter to Police commissioner. He gave a date and time.

26.May.2008
-----------
I went and got it on 26.May.2008

27.May.2008
-----------
Went staright to Superintendent(SUP) at Arms department in the office of "Commissioner of Police" . He gave aughly look. I looked around and then ****EDITED - If you do not understand why, feel free to PM me. The next time it will be a yellow card - Mundaire****
He got the Letter to the C.A.R in 1 hour time.

On the same afternoon, I went to meet the DCP of C.A.R
HE was again a nice gentlemen , called me in , signed the papers and requested the ACP inchage on duty to Depute a person to inspect the Airgun ( which is their Process ) held at Airport.

It was 4:00 Pm in the evening, I took ACP and another Technical person along with me to Airport. We all went inside, a new team was there. But no problem because we have gone just to inspect the Airgun and verify the same. They did their Job . Came back and droped them at their office in my own car at 9:00 Pm.
The ACP gave his contact number and all his friends contact number of same position in Airport. This way I made again a good relationship with them..

28.May.2008
-----------
ACP of C.A.R, himslef called me and said to collect the Certifacte from C.A.R office on 29.May.2008..

Now the major part of work is done..

I have to get this letter, give it to Sup. at arms department in office of "Commissioner of Police ".

He intern will get me a letter to the Customs on NOC..

Submit the NOC to customs and then have to negotiate on the CUSOTMS EXNOTE on Duty free for .177 if they start working out on Duty.

All these things were done within 5 days time..

But the Pain is to run up & down from Inside City ( bangalore ) to the NEw Aiport ( 45 km away ) to get it done.. Have to go through if you want what you brought...

Thanks for all those who shared tips about their experience. Hope things will get sorted out soon..

I am expecting to see the Beauty in my hand soon!!!

Above all its how you build the relationship matters.
May be this is what I had seen now.

Cheers!
David

[shahid]

To avoid all these problems a standard list of .177 makes and models of Diana, HW, BSA, Cometa, Webley, Walther, Gamo etc. is being submitted to the customs department. Very soon the process will be smoother, A very senior Congress MP who got the personal baggage duty exemption done has been briefed and he is working on it.

Try to include uncommon names as well like Edgar brothers, Air Arms, Logan, whatever youc an find as comon springers.

Complete the list of standard models asap to facilitate this.

[hamiclar01]

good going david! hopefully the rewards for your effort are just round the corner

[Zafar]

To avoid all these problems a standard list of .177 makes and models of Diana, HW, BSA, Cometa, Webley, Walther, Gamo etc. is being submitted to the customs department. Very soon the process will be smoother, A very senior Congress MP who got the personal baggage duty exemption done has been briefed and he is working on it.

Try to include uncommon names as well like Edgar brothers, Air Arms, Logan, whatever youc an find as comon springers.

Complete the list of standard models asap to facilitate this.

GREAT !!
that will be the most welcomed step after the duty exemption
A BIG THANKYOU Shahid bhai !
also could it be not that a same kind of notice be given to the Postal dep. We could do a signatured petition drive for that here in india if you need something like this

and keep up the good work , May God Bless you

Shukriya
-
Zafar

[PRITAM PATEL]

hi David,

wish you get your gun released soon...

is it .177 or .22 and also what make and model ??

regards
pritam

[shahid]

Complete the list, Customs have a standard list of Electronic items for duty calculation irrespective of what invoice value is produced on arrival. A simialar list is being attempted to be circulated ( and issued first ). Write the names of all common models of .177 .

[David]

Latest Update :

I got NOC from the Comm. Of Police and today I am going to get my airgun ( Weihrauch HW77k .177 ) released from Customs. Hope there should not be any issue with duty free as per the new ammendment.

Cheers
David

[tirths]

Best of luck!